Cleaning apparatus



J. K. HENcKi-:N 1,796,458

CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 17, '1931.

INVENTOR. MMK

ATTORNEYS.

March 17, 1.931. 1, K v HENCKEN 1,796,458

CLEANING APPARATUS Filled Nov. 12'. 1927 z's'neets-sheet 2 INVETOR.

M q 33 A TTRNEYS.

Patented VMar. 17, 1931 e PATENT OFFICE JOHN K. HENCKEN, F BROOKLYN, NEWYORK CLEANING APPARATUS Application filed November 12, 1927, Serial No.232,744.

rlhis invention relates to cleaning apparatus particularly adapted to beused in removing from soaking drums the coke deposits that collecttherein as the volatile constituents of the oil are driven off inaccordance with certain well-known oil cracking processes.

Heretoore, vcoke has been removed from soaking drums by both manual andmechanical methods. 'In each case, unlimited haml@ mering is used tobreak up. the coke and remove the same from the inner wall of the drum.As a result of such unlimited hammering, the walls of the drums areoften detrimentally affected, and in some cases the heads of the rivets,which are depended upon to maintain a tight joint v atv the overlappingmargins of the circular metal plates forming the walls ofthe drums, arevsheared oifvor otherwise severed, with the result that the drums arerendered unfit for further use until repaired. Another objection tounlimited hammering, as heretofore carried out, resides in the fact thatit makes impossible the use n of drum linings, such as would protect thewalls of the drums against the chemical attack thereon ot vapors thatare evolved during the cracking process, since such linings would breakdown, crumble, or otherwise become impaired under the impact of blowsdelivered thereto. In addition to the above objections, vthe methodsheretofore employed 'have been slow, costly and generallyineiicient. Thegeneral object of this invention is to provide a new and improved meansby which 33 the coke may be expeditiously removed from soaking drumswithout injuring' the walls thereof, and without removing a covering ofcoke, which may be letton the walls and serves y as a protective liningfor the drums. Other objects and advantages` of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a fragmental vertical sectional 15 view of a soaking drum,showing inelevation the machine embodying this invention;vFig ure 2 is ahorizontalv sectional view taken on line 2 2 ofFigure 1; Figure 3 is asectional j view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2'; and Fig- 59 ure 4l is asectional view, showing in detail v31. of the turbine rotors.

means for radiallj7 adjusting the hammering unit.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a soaking drum, thevertical wall of which is made up of one or more circular metal plates,having their overlapping margins secured together by a plurality ofrivets 11, thus forming a tight joint. The lower` end i of the soakingdrum is provided with the usual head 13, having an opening 14 formedtherein and provided with a neck 15 through which access to the drum maybe gained from the bottom thereof by removing the usual vcover plate,not shown, when it is desired to remove from the drum the .coke deposit16 which forms therein during the process of driving oiiE the volatileconstituents of the Voil according to certain well known methods.

The machine embodying this invention is so designed that it may beintroduced into J' these turbines are connected to a common shaft 22, towhich is secured a pair of discs 24 which are spaced apart a suflicientdistance to receive therebetween a plurality of hammers 25 and 26, thehammers Q5 being rela tively short as compared with the hammers 26 forthe reasons hereinafter more Vparticularly stated. The hammers 25 and 26are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the discs 24 and are freeto assume radial positions to `which they are swung by centrifugalaction as the turbines 2G are operated.

Fluid pressure from a suitable source, not shown, is supplied to theturbines Q0 through an inlet conduit 27 and a pair of branch conduits28, leading therefrom to inlet passages 29, formed in the housings ofthe turbines 2O and'communicating withnozzles 30, arranged to direct thei'luid pressure against the'buckets The spent fluid is discharged fromthe turbines 2O through branch outlets 32, connected to the turbinehousings and communicating with a common discharge conduit 33. Theconduits 2T and S3 are suitably strapped or otherwise cou pled together`and serve as a means tor supporting the hanunering unit 1T in variouspositions within the drum l() during the operation oi" such hammeringunit. These conduits 2T and 33 are connected by yokes o5 to anadjustable lever 3o, pivotally connected intermediate a pair otvertically disposed head plates 3T, carried by a removable head orcoupling member 38, which is suitably connected to a rotatable, andvertically adjustable plunger fl. This plungn' 3) may extend down y'ardinto a casing beneath the drinn 10, and is of such length that it may beelevated to such an extent as will raise the hammering units 17 to theuppermost end of: the. drum 10. Raising and lowering of the plunger 35)may be eti' cted by hydraulic pressure or by any other suitable means,not shown and said plunger may be so connected to a suitable source ofpower, not shown, as tocliect .rotation thereof, in either or bothdirections.

Adjustment ot' the hamn'iering unit SlT radially from the longitudinalaxis of the drum l0 may be made .by an adjusting screw e0, rotatablymounted in gusset plates -fl-l. forming apart of thehead 38 and arrangedin termediate the upwardly exten din g headplates 3T. This adjustingscrew Lt() carries on ^its screw-threaded portion a follower El havingpins ill which project `from its opposite sides and are adapted tooperate within a pair ot notches 45, formed in the side memlfrers .fl-(ot a yoke, carried at the lower end ot' the adjustable lever 3G andstraddling .the .tollower 43.

To the turbine housings. are piv'otally connected a pair ot adjustablearms l5, which. when extended shown in Figure 2, assume a slightlydivcrging relation. The outer endsv o'l these arms 11.6 are cut away toreceive a` pair of rollers 4.7. which. when the arms 4G are extended asshown in Figure E2, assume such positions that the cutting edges; oi thelonger hammers 26 operate. in advance ot' the rollers, upon the coke tobe removed. By this arrangement, the rollers 47 are adapted to engagethe finished surface oi the lining (i8 of coke which is lett in the drumlll. and such rollers serve to limit the movement oi" the hanuneringunit 17 away trom the longitudinal axis of thc drum 10. with the resultthat once the hammering unit 17 is adjusted so as to leave a lining onthe wa'll of the drum of the desired thickness. such thickness may beuniformly maintained so long as such adjustmentis not disturbed and therollers 4l' are permitted to remain in contact with the finished surfaceoi the lining 48 as tlielianu mei-ing unit 17 is lifted troni oneposition to another towards the top ot' the drum 10. The arms 46 areconnected to a paii` of adjustable chains 50, which pass through aplurality of guides 51 secured to the housings of the turbines 20. Apair of hooks 52 may be secured to the inlet conduit 2T in position toengage the chains 50 and hold them in their adjusted positions.

To remove the coke deposit from av soaking drum by the machineembodyingthis inven tion, the closure, not shown, for the neck 15 ol the soakingdrum is removed, and the .hammering unit 17, with only the shorterhammers attached to the discs 24, is so adjusted by the adjusting screw40, as to assume a `position in alignn'ient with the opening 1%,whereupon the plunger 3f) is raised thereby lifting the hannnerin-g.unitintotho Rotation ot the hammers is .then effected by admitting fluidpressure vto the turbines 20. After suitable speed'ofithe hainmers hasbeen attained. the hammering unit further lifted by raising the plunger3S). During the time .the plunger is heilig lifted. it is also suitablyrotated. As the hammering unit 17 is raised and rotated, the hammers 25will eut ,a round cavity in the mass of coke, as indicated ,in vdottedlines at A. Aiter such cavity has been formed, the ,hainmer unit 17 isgradually moved away from the longitudinal axis ot the drum v10 byadjusting the screw 40, and the plunger 39 is `then gradually lowered. This movement of the hammeringunit will enlarge 'the original cavity tothe extent indicated in dotted lines at B. After this `larger cavity hasbeen formed, the hammeringunit 17 `is .moved by the screw Lt() backtowards the longitudinal axis `ot the drum 10, whereupon operation otthe turbines 2O androtation of the plunger 3S) are discontinued. liththe hannneringiunit 17 at rest. the plunger 39 is lowered through theneck 15, whereupon-the longer hammers 26 are attachedito the discs 24,and the arms 46, carrying .the rollers L17, are at- -taohedto theturbines Q0. The armsv t6 are then secured in their dotted lineposit-ion by chains l50; andthe plunger is .again raised so as 4,tobring the hammering unit into the space provided within the .line Bwhich is ample fto accommodate the :hannners 26 as their extreme yendsdescribe the circle indicated'by the dot and dash linerC. Rotation olthe turbinesQO `then is resumed'by admitting Huid pressure thereto, andgradual .rotation of the plunger 39 is `also resumed. dVith the turbinesQ0 operating and `with'the plunger 39 rotati11`1,'the'hammering unit 1Tis elevatedfby theplunger 39,'and at the'same time adjusted outwardlyfrom the longitudinal axis ofthe drum 10 to a predetermined extent,whereupon outward adjustment of the hammering unit is discontinued. Thearms fl@ are then lowered to .their respective i tions, 4shown `in fulllines ,in Figure 1, and

the upward yin'ovementot th'ehaminei-ing unit lll) is continued with theresult that a cavity is formed as indicated at D. T his cavity isincreased longitudinally of the drum l0 as the plunger 39 is graduallyraised during rotation thereof and the operation of the turbines. Bythus operating the turbines 2O and plunger 39, the entire coke deposit16 may be removed from the drum 10 with the exception of the protectivelining 48 which is allowed to remain undisturbed by the hammers 26,since they are maintained at a predetermined distance from the wall ofthe drum by the rollers 47 as they travel over the finished surface ofthe lining. The thickness of the lining 48 may be varied to any degreedepending upon the extent to which the hammering unit 17 is adjustedaway from the longitudinal axis of the drum l0 before the arms 46 arelowered to their full line positions shown in Figure l to bring theirrollers 47 into contact with the finished cylindrical portion of thelining 48.

As the coke is broken out by the action of the hammering unit, it dropsout of the drum through the neck l5 and may be carried away in any wellknown manner,

From the above, it will be appreciated that the machine embodying thisinvention may be employed to expeditiously remove the coke deposits fromsoaking drums and at the same time provide protective linings ofundisturbed coke of any desired thickness sulicient to protect the wallsof the drums from the chemical attack by vapors that are evolved duringthe driving out of volatile constituents of the oil, and also ofsuflicient thickness to protect the heads of the rivets 11 against thehammering action incident to the cleaning operation.

Vhile only one form of apparatus embodying this invention has beenherein shown and described, it will be understood that variousmodifications and changes may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention, or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is l. A head adapted to be mounted upon the verticallyand rotatably movable plunger of a cleaning machine, comprising ahammering unit having a hammering element rotatable upon a horizontalaxis and a motor driving the same, and means for adjustably supportingsaid hammering unit for movement toward and away from the axis of saidplunger.

2. A head adapted to be mounted upon the vertically and rotatablymovable plunger of a cleaning machine, comprising a hammering unithaving a hammering element rotating upon a horiozntal axis and a motordriving the same, and pivotally mounted adjustable means for supportingsaid hammering unit for movement in a vertical plane passing through theaxis of said plunger.

3. In a container cleaning` machine, a rotatable plunger, a head adaptedto be mounted on said plunger and comprising a hammering unit includinga hammer, means for movably connecting said unit to said plunger, meansfor moving said unit a predetermined distance towards or away from theinner wall of the container, and guide means adapted to cooperate withsaid unit and with the inner wall of the container for maintaining saidunit at a predetermined distance from the wall of the container, wherebya predetermined thickness of material serving as a lining for thecontainer may remain undisturbed while the remaining material is beingremoved from the wall of the container.

.4. A head adapted to be mounted upon the vertically and rotatablymovable plunger of a cleaning machine, comprising a hammering unitincluding a rotatable hammering element and a motor driving the same, acoupling member adapted to be attached to said plunger, and adjustablemeans for pivotally supporting said hammering unit upon said couplingmember, whereby said hammering unit may be moved toward and away fromthe axis of said plunger.

5. In a container cleaning machine, a rotatable and longitudinallyadjustable plunger, a coupling member carried by said plunger, a powerdriven shaft, a hammer connected to said shaft, a motor connected tosaid shaft for driving the same together with said hammer, inlet andoutlet conduits leading respectively to and from said motor. andadjustable means secured to said conduits and pivotally connected tosaid coupling member, whereby said motor together with said'shaft andsaid hammer may be moved toward and away from the axis of said plunger.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

JOHN K. HENCKEN.

